Gender Identity Hate Crimes in California

• In Event: Grievance to Violence: The Gendered Dimensions of Contemporary Hate

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Transgender and gender nonconforming individuals are more likely to be victims of crime, including bias-motivated hate crimes compared to their straight and cisgender counterparts. Despite improvements in hate crime reporting guidelines for gender minorities in recent years, there is limited research on the nature and prevalence of these gender identity hate crimes, including in California, where such crimes are on the rise.

SCOPE
This study examines police reports, court records, and survey responses to describe the circumstances in which gender identity hate crimes occur in California. We examine (1) trends over time and across jurisdictions, (2) demographics of both alleged victims and individuals accused of hate crimes, (3) common circumstances surrounding these incidents, such as location, time of day, and alleged behaviors, and (4) potential opportunities to enhance data collection on gender identity hate crimes. By analyzing when, where, and how these crimes occur, as well as who is most affected, we provide a more comprehensive picture of these incidents and the broader context in which they take place. To our knowledge this is the first attempt to understand in detail the circumstances of gender identity hate crimes in a state.

Authors

• Nathan Cisneros, UCLA School of Law

• Jordan Grasso, UCLA School of Law